In the electrical wiring of buildings, it is common to use electrical cables that include an outer sheath that provides the grounding for the cable. Such electrical cables include flexible metal conduit, electrical metal tubing (EMT), armored cable, and metal clad (MC) cable. When using metal sheathed cables, the electrical code stipulates that the outer sheaths of the cables must establish a proper electrical ground, or electrical continuity, with all junction boxes and electrical panels to which they are connected. In order to simplify and speed up the task of installing such wiring, the owner of the present invention introduced snap fit electrical connectors or snap fittings. The snap fittings significantly speeded up the process of installing such wiring and also provided for the proper grounding of the electrical cabling to the junction boxes and panels to which it was connected.
Maintaining a proper ground, or electrical continuity, between the connector, the electrical cable or conduit, and the junction box is a primary consideration in the design of such electrical connectors. The current application shares common ownership with U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,373,106, 6,709,280, and 6,780,029, which described snap fit electrical fittings or connectors all of which included a connector body and a snap ring for locking the electrical fitting to the junction box. All of these patents disclosed various modifications and to the snap ring that were directed to improving the electrical continuity or ground between the electrical connector, the junction box, and the electrical cable.
Although the snap fittings of the aforementioned patents provided a suitable snap-in or quick connect fitting with adequate electrical continuity, the present invention provides a snap fit electrical connector with improved electrical continuity between the fitting, the cable or conduit, and the junction box. The improved design includes a modified connector body and a modified snap ring. Modifications to the connector body include a raised grounding lug integral with a seat on the leading end of the connector body. Modifications to the snap ring include a notch for accommodating the raised grounding lug of the connector body and thereby establishing a direct electrical grounding path between the connector body and the junction box. The snap tight electrical connector of the present invention provides improved electrical continuity and a lower millivolt drop across the connector, the electrical cable or conduit, and the junction box.
These and other advantages will become apparent by reading the attached specification and claims in conjunction with reference to the attached drawings.